Michael Gray - You And Me

Ascension; You And Me; Shake; Life Will Be; Gavity; Universe; I’m Falling For You; Give It To Me; I Like The Way; Medicine; Detonate; Beautiful; Breaking Away

(Sultra Records)

As one half of production and remixing duo Full Intention, Michael Gray has remixed tracks from artists ranging from Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Jamiroquai, besides having a big hit under his own name with the uplifting dance track The Weekend.

Two years on from his last album, Gray has returned with You And Me a euphoric collection of funky house music songs littered with a soulful touch. Despite a plethora of different vocalists on the album, the quality of tracks on offer here never falters, nor does the uplifting vibe.

The album title track features Mike Dunn the legendary Chicago house music artist, on a song that recalls the aura that Freeez created on their influential dance track Southern Freeez. That mood continues on Shake coming with a rhythm that will shake dance floors from Inverness to Ibiza sounding as if it does all very familiar yet fresh.

Life Will Be featuring Phebe Edwards and the following track. Gravity have both been released previously as singles and sit easily here with the other songs on the album. Far from being secondary, they all bear Grays trademark funky bass lines and, in the case of the former track, a nineties-style piano accompaniment. Gravity unlike the majority of tracks on offer here, is destined to be enjoyed more at the nightclubs than at home or in the car, as is Universe an instrumental that sounds dirty, danceable and delightful.

The nostalgic production here feels comfortable yet with an eye to the future, contrasting with the often misplaced conception that soulful house music has got itself into a rut recently.

This fine collection of songs is rightly being released as the summer dawns, sounding as they do sparkling, warm and as welcome as a cool, refreshing breeze on a hot July day. If anyone thought dance music artists could not sustain quality over the length of an album Gray has proved otherwise with this mesmerising set of songs.